I first noticed the extreme hair color trend backstage at Prabal Gurung, where model Natalie Westling’s flaming red, Manic Panic hue stood out in a sea of brunettes and blonds. Even if it was a one-off, I found it refreshing to see someone taking a permanent beauty risk. As NYFW progressed, however, it became clear that dye jobs with personality are more of a help than a hindrance when getting cast for Fall 2014. Ola Rudnicka sports the ever-popular platinum this season, but setting her apart are hot-pink highlights. A rainbow of dye jobs ran rampant at DKNY, where gray, lavender, cobalt, and highlighter-yellow strands made their way down the runway. Peter Som also incorporated color, adding in stonewashed purple and coral extensions painted by Wella pro Alexandra Matiz. Singer Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) arrived backstage at Diane von Furstenberg with lilac curls. Catwalker and fellow performer Karen Elson exclaimed, “Annie, your hair!” when she sat down in the makeup chair across from her at the show. I’m as equally exuberant about the trend.
